Severn man spared jail time for roadside fight

Anne Arundel County Police photo

Gerald Javon Hall, 27, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and reckless endangerment in Anne Arundel Circuit Court in Annapolis for his role in the brawl at Annapolis and Rockenbach roads. Judge Michele Jaklitsch gave Hall probation before judgment, allowing him to avoid having a conviction on his record if he successfully completes his probation.

Gerald Javon Hall, 27, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and reckless endangerment in Anne Arundel Circuit Court in Annapolis for his role in the brawl at Annapolis and Rockenbach roads. Judge Michele Jaklitsch gave Hall probation before judgment, allowing him to avoid having a conviction on his record if he successfully completes his probation. (Anne Arundel County Police photo)

Tim Pratt, tpratt@capgaznews.com

A Severn man was spared jail time Thursday for his role in a roadside fight following a car accident last year in Hanover.

Gerald Javon Hall, 27, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and reckless endangerment in Anne Arundel Circuit Court in Annapolis in connection with the brawl at Annapolis and Rockenbach roads.

Judge Michele Jaklitsch gave Hall probation before judgment, allowing him to avoid having a conviction on his record if he successfully completes his probation.

The charges against Hall stem from his actions after his mother, brother and sister were involved in an accident with another vehicle around 9:30 p.m.on Dec.18.

After the accident, Hall's brother, Richard McCain, 22, got into a confrontation with a passenger in the other vehicle, who was attempting to aid his two young children, said Assistant State's Attorney Karen Anderson-Scott.

McCain's mother called Hall, who was about a mile away, and he came to the accident scene, said defense attorney John McKenna. McKenna said the passenger in the other vehicle made "threatening movements" toward Hall's family and Hall was coming there to protect them.

When Hall arrived, he saw his brother and the passenger from the other vehicle in a fight, Anderson-Scott said. Police said McCain tried to stab the passenger in the other vehicle.

Hall joined the fight, Anderson-Scott said, and held the other passenger in a headlock while his brother punched him in the face.

"He can't react by jumping into a fight and, in some respects, escalating that," Anderson-Scott said.

A county police officer who tried to break up the fight was knocked to the ground and injured her knee. Paramedics who arrived couldn't get to the injured children in the victim's vehicle, Anderson-Scott said.

"There were people very much in need of medical attention and they couldn't get it because of what was happening," she said.

Officers eventually broke up the fight and arrested the brothers. Their sister, Riquita McCain, also was arrested after police said she started "screaming" at the victim's family and hindering police and fire personnel.

The two injured children in the other vehicle, ages 3 and 6, were hospitalized. Their father was hospitalized for injuries sustained in the fight. The police officer who was knocked to the ground also was transported to the hospital.

Richard McCain previously pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and reckless endangerment and was sentenced to 18 months in jail, with all of it suspended except the 98 days he had served since his arrest.

Riquita McCain, 23, previously pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, failure to obey and obstructing and hindering. She was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with all but 10 days suspended.